Toll fees go up July 9

KINGSTON — Cabinet has approved toll increases for the Kingston to Spanish Town, and Portmore legs of Highway 2000, effective July 9.

For Kingston to Spanish Town, the fee for class one vehicles remains at $80, while class two will go from $110 to $120, and class three will move from $210 to $230.

Meanwhile, motorists using the Portmore leg will continue to pay $120 for class one, while the toll for class two has been increased from $170 to $180, and class three will see an increase to $350, up from $340. A ten per cent discount will be introduced for weekend rates.

“This was carefully and skillfully negotiated by the Minister of Transport and Works,” said Minister with Responsibility for Information Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz, who made the announcement on June 29 post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

He explained that the concession agreement between the National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC) and TransJamaican Highway gives the developer the right to increase toll rates at no more than 12-monthly intervals, provided the toll is set at a rate equal to or less than the toll cap. The toll cap is subject to adjustment based on the valuation of the Jamaica dollar against the United States dollar, and inflation rate in the US economy, plus one per cent.

“And, in the event that the developer is prevented from charging the rates in keeping with the foregoing, NROCC or the Jamaican government would be obliged to compensate the developer for lost revenues…so when you take all that into account, we could have seen rates increased more significantly, than what has been finally negotiated,” Minister Vaz stated.